"The 96th Tour de France, which will run from July 4 to 26, will be contested over 2,174 miles. It begins with a time trial in Monaco and runs through France, with visits to Spain and Switzerland. It is a grueling test of endurance and strategy. Follow the New York Times's coverage of the race on this map, updated during the Tour with articles, photos and multimedia." 07-09

"The 96th edition of the Tour de France, cycling's biggest race, began Saturday, July 4, when the riders competed in the race's first stage, an individual time trial in Monaco. Twenty-two days later, a winner will ride down the Champs-Élysées in Paris wearing the iconic yellow jersey. Follow the race here with dispatches from The Times's Juliet Macur in France." 07-09